Shock

"Wouldn't it be interesting to find out what kind of children resulted from our eggs?" she asked over their last Venetian supper.

Joa

"What do you think are our chances of finding anything out?" Deborah asked, seemingly oblivious to Joa

"It might be hard considering the contracts we signed," Joa

"Yeah, but that was more to ensure our anonymity," Deborah said. "We didn't want anyone coming after us for child support or anything like that."

"I think it works both ways,' Joa

"I suppose you're right," Deborah said. "Too bad, though. It would be interesting even if it were only to be sure we can have kids. You know, there are no guarantees of fertility these days. I'm sure all those people we saw out there in the Wingate Clinic would attest to that."

"I can imagine," Joa

"Good idea," Deborah had said.

That was a day and an ocean ago. Now the plane's intercom system crackled to life and brought Joa

Joa

“HERE COMES MY LAST BAG,” DEBORAH SHOUTED. SHE dashed back to the baggage carousel from where she and Joa

"Well, here we are back in Beantown,' Deborah commented as she ran her hand through her long, thick hair. "What a great flight. It seemed a lot shorter than I expected."

"Not to me," Joa

"Planes put me to sleep," Deborah said.

"As if I couldn't tell!" Joa

An hour later, the two friends were in their two-bedroom apartment on Beacon Hill, newly vacated by the tenant they'd rented it to for their Italian sojourn.

"How about flipping a coin to see who gets which bedroom?" Joa

"No way," Deborah responded. "I said I'd take the smaller bedroom, and I'm fine with that."

"Are you sure?"

"Absolutely. For me a big closet and the view are more important than a space."

"It's the bathroom that's the problem," Joa

"The smaller bedroom is fine by me. Trust me!"

"Okay," Joa

An hour later the women had distributed the furniture, partially unpacked their luggage, and had even made their respective beds when, as Deborah put it, they "ran out of gas." Realizing it was after ten o'clock at night back in Italy, they collapsed on the sofa in the living room. The bright, mid-spring afternoon sun was still streaming in through the front windows to belie their exhaustion and jet lag.

"What do you want to do about di

"There's something else I want to do before thinking about eating," Joa

"Take a nap?" Deborah asked.

"Nope," Joa

"If you are going to call Carlton, I'm going to throw up."

Joa

"I've been worrying about you backsliding," Deborah said. "I've been noticing how many letters you've been getting lately from that boring doctor-in-training, and it worries me, especially now that we're back here in Boston within a stone's throw of his hospital."

Joa

"I think of you as insufficiently girded against twenty-five years of maternal indoctrination."

Joa

"You're going to call already? We just got home."

"Why not?" Joa

"Toss me my phone book," Deborah said without moving. "It's on the top of the desk."

Joa

The call went through and was picked up quickly. Joa

"Did you hear me?" Joa

"I heard you," the operator said. "But I thought you were going to say something else. I'm not sure what you are asking. Are you interesting in donating again?"

"Possibly," Joa

"Is everything all right?" the operator asked. "Are you having a problem?"

"No, not really," Joa

"Perhaps I should page Dr. Sheila Donaldson."

Joa

"I'd guess that secretaries would defer to Dr. Donaldson, so we might as well speak to her directly. I imagine it will save a step."

"I suppose you're right," Joa

"Wait!" Deborah said. "Are you thinking about donating again?"

"Not at all," Joa

Deborah nodded. Joa

"Do you want to hold on or should the doctor call you back?" "I'll hold on," Joa

"Maybe we should give the idea of donating again some thought," Deborah said. "I wouldn't mind being able to continue the lifestyle that I've become accustomed to." She smiled teasingly. "You're joking," Joa